The Experiential Travel Guide

Brought to you by the team at America’s Best Travel Magazine, AFAR is a customizable, shareable digital travel guide and trip planner. Get inspired by 70,000+ unique travel experiences around the world, created by the most knowledgeable experiential travelers and locals, and curated into guides by AFAR’s team of editors and local experts. Save anything on the site and create your own trip plans for your next trip—and have them accessible on your phone, tablet, or browser. AFAR is the travel guide, reinvented.

AFAR.com and applications that interface with AFAR.com (collectively “AFAR Digital”) were created to enable experiential travel. The following principles are essential to fostering this community, and it is the responsibility of all our members to uphold them.

This is a carefully moderated community. We will notify you if you are not following site policies. On some occasions we will remove content first and alert you afterward. Please be respectful to our moderators and understand that their job is to keep the good of the community in mind at all times. To avoid moderation please be:

Respectful: The global AFAR community celebrates our common ground as well as our diversity while respecting and valuing differences in cultures and beliefs. Please listen to each other’s opinions, and when they differ from your own, withhold judgment and respectfully agree to disagree.

Understanding: With such a diverse community, content can be misinterpreted or its meaning can get lost in translation, so please be polite. If you believe something needs moderation, just flag it or email us.

Positive: Put your energy into sharing what you love. AFAR.com guides travelers to great places around the world so please refrain from venting your frustrations or using this as a negative review forum.

Appropriate: Refrain from posting content that condones illegal activities, is derogatory, or is off-topic. Use your judgment. Hate speech, slurs, and belligerence of any kind will not be accepted.

Sincere: Travelers on AFAR Digital earnestly believe in the value of experiential travel and the connections they make here. This belief guides and inspires them to share their experiences. If you are just trying to drive traffic to your site or have other motives we will remove your content.

Honest: Only post true accounts of your experiences. If you are affiliated with a business or blog, disclose that connection on your profile page.

Appreciative: Say thanks, give travelers a pat on the back, or simply send a friendly hello!

Businesses, Bloggers, and Journalists: Our first priority is to help travelers find inspiration and plan their trips, drawing on the experiences and expertise of like-minded travelers. Bloggers, businesses, and journalists are encouraged to join the community as long as they adhere to the following guidelines:

Do not promote your business directly. We do not allow unpaid business promotions on AFAR Digital. If you’re interested in learning about advertising opportunities, please contact us.

Use AFAR as an individual: Every account represents an individual and that individual’s personal opinions. We encourage you to sign up and use the site as other travelers do. Use your real name, and in your profile you can explain your blog or business in the “What I Do” section.

Be transparent: State your affiliations and interests on your profile; use your real name, state your roles and relationships. Your honesty will build trust in the community, and in turn, you will have the opportunity to interact with travelers.

No blog steering, add value: Do not simply steer people to your blog/writing. The content you post needs to add value to the conversation and stand alone in the context of the Highlight. If you simply post a link or reference to your site the content will be removed.

Repurpose content: If you would like to post something related to what you have written, please summarize your writing and include further insights. Only if you have done this may you include a link to the original post in your Highlight description or answer.

Journalists: You may find our community very useful for researching stories, but if you find details you use in a story, per standard journalistic courtesy, please credit us and the traveler or travelers that helped you.

You and the AFAR community: Take advantage of the opportunity share your travel experiences, reveal hidden local gems, and connect with individuals from around the world.

Protect your privacy and yourself: Safety first! What you publish is public and widely accessible, so consider your content carefully.

Share who you are: Sharing information about yourself on your profile will help connect with other members and let you get the most out of your AFAR Digital experience.

Be honest: Provide accurate and complete information about yourself.

Place Page Guidelines: Use Place Pages to save, share, and discover memorable locations and experiences.

Your photos: Due to copyright and property issues only use photos you’ve taken.

Specific locations: Use business names, street address, neighborhoods–even latitude & longitude. Travelers want to find these places and have these experiences! Help them out by giving very specific locations.

Meaningful descriptions: Share unique, inspirational, and helpful details such as cultural insights, logistical tips, and friendly advice. They are much like online bookmarks to offline experiences—moments you’re saving for yourself and places you’re recommending to travelers.

Write in English: Because all descriptions about the same location are rolled up into a single Place Page, and to ensure consistency across the site, all descriptions must be written in English.

We need your help! If you notice abuse of any of the guidelines please email us at community@afar.com